Steven Forrest, who is a black belt in Taekwondo, was facing up to five years behind bars for attacking Amanda Norwood and her 63-year-old mum, Margaret McAslan.

But he was handed a Community Payback Order when he appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court today after the court heard that jailing him would cost his brother his job.

At an earlier court hearing Fiscal Depute Alan Parfery told the court that 42-year-old Forrest, who owns his own electrical firm, threw Norwood to the ground and pulled McAslan out of a car in the early hours of October 19 last year.

Forrest - who is a 4th degree black belt in the Korean martial art, which places a heavy emphasis on kicks - then launched into the unprovoked attacks, kicking and stamping on the slightly-built women.

Parfery, prosecuting, explained: "He grabbed hold of her mother and threw her to the ground.

"The daughter was punched in the face, causing her to fall to the ground.

"The accused repeatedly kicked the daughter on the head and body while she was lying on the ground.

"At this stage the mother is also lying on the ground and the accused approaches her and kicks her on the head.

"The accused then went back to the daughter, who was lying motionless in the foetal position, and repeatedly stamped on her head to such a degree that a witness observed one of his heels, on his stamping foot, coming off his shoe.

"A number of neighbours, at least two of whom were under 16 and in their early teens, observed what was going on and were upset by what they were seeing."

Amanda and her mum Margaret McAslan (Image: Rory Cassidy)

The emergency services were contacted while neighbours who had witnessed the attacks ran to the aid of Norwood and her mum.

When police arrived they saw Norwood lying motionless on the ground with blood through her hair.

She was roused but was unable to speak and ended up speaking to paramedics about what had happened a short time later.

She had a cut to the front of her scalp and bruising on her eye, chest and at the top of her spine and was taken to hospital to be checked over.

McAslan was found to have bruising to her neck and back and a swollen forehead and was rushed to hospital for a CT scan.

Parfery explained: "She was very distressed at the time.

"Her treatment included pain relief tablets.

"She underwent a CT scan and x-rays as a precaution but nothing abnormal was found.

"There were x-rays carried out relating to the daughter as well, again nothing abnormal was found."

Forrest was later tracked down and arrested, making no reply when cautioned and charged but did talk about what had happened with the police.

Parfery said: "He was heard to remark that he did not normally hit women but he made some remarks about the mother and daughter which I will not repeat at this time.

"He did go on to express regret and say it had gone too far."

Steven Forrest and Amanda Norwood

Forrest's attacks were so brutal that, when appeared in the dock last month, he faced charged with assaulting both women to the danger of their lives.

But he struck a deal with prosecutors which saw him plead guilty to two reduced charges of assaulting them to their injury in the affluent Glasgow suburb of Newton Mearns.

Sheriff Seith Ireland called for Forrest to be assessed by social workers ahead of sentencing and adjourned the case.

And when Forrest returned to the dock today he was spared jail.

Defence solicitor Calum Weir said Forrest was an alcoholic who was drunk at the time, had very little recollection of what had happened and had struggled to battle the disease.

And he said that Forrest refuted claims that his shoe had broken due to the severity of his assaults.

The lawyer explained: "With reference to the heel of his shoe coming off - that is something he takes issue with.

"It is his position that is not the case and the heel, to this day, remains on the shoe.

"This was the lowest point of his life and he wishes that to remain as such.

"He does accept full responsibility for his actions.

"His behaviour was abhorrent, to him and everyone else."

He also said that locking Forrest up would cost his brother, whom he employs as a labourer with his firm Mearns Electrical (Glasgow) LTD, his job, and said Norwood had written a letter blaming herself for what happened.

As he told Forrest to carry out 260 hours' unpaid work over the next 12 months, and told him he would be supervised by social workers for the next 18 months, the sheriff said: "I am just persuaded that custody can be avoided.

"Your partner blames herself but you were the person in drink that committed these assaults and you have to pay the price."

Forrest showed no emotion as he was spared jail but hugged Norwood, who was in court in support of him, and another women, believed to be his mother, when he left the dock.